St John’s Stonefold CofE Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, and children in the early years, enjoy coming to school. Pupils told inspectors that people from all different types of families are made to feel welcome. Pupils benefit from positive relationships with caring staff.

These relationships help pupils, and children in the early years, to feel happy and safe.

Leaders have high expectations of pupils' behaviour. Pupils value the recognition that they get from staff when they behave well and work hard.

Pupils behave well across the school. This means they learn with little interruption.

Pupils learn the importance of the school's values.

They hold the values of empathy and love in high reg...ard. Pupils trust that staff will do their best to help them if they have any concerns. Leaders deal with any incidents of bullying quickly and effectively.

Overall, pupils, and children in the early years, experience a well-designed curriculum. Staff expect pupils to achieve highly. By the end of Year 6, most pupils are ready for the next stage of education.

Pupils benefit from enrichment experiences that support their personal development. They value opportunities to take on responsibilities, such as being part of the worship group and school council. Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe outside of school through visits from the fire service and the road safety team.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders have constructed a broad and balanced curriculum across the school, including in the early years. Overall, the curriculum is ambitious for all pupils, including those pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). In most subjects, leaders have clearly identified the important knowledge that pupils should learn.

Leaders have carefully considered what they want pupils to know and remember by the end of each topic, each academic year and each key stage. In the main, learning is organised in a way that helps to prepare pupils, and most pupils with SEND, for their next steps in learning. Children in the early years are also well prepared for the demands of Year 1.

Although the curriculum is strong overall, in one or two subjects, leaders' curricular thinking is less clear. In these subjects, curriculum overviews provide general information on what should be taught in the different year groups. However, leaders have not sufficiently considered the important knowledge that pupils should learn at each stage.

Some teachers do not know exactly what knowledge to teach to pupils in these remaining subjects. On occasions, they are unclear about what pupils already know and can do. As a result, some pupils do not learn all that they could.

Many subject leaders are well trained and lead their areas of the curriculum effectively. Most subject leaders check that the curriculum is being delivered by teachers as intended. In the majority of subjects, teachers present information clearly.

Teachers also use leaders' assessment systems well to identify where pupils will benefit from opportunities to revisit previous learning. This helps pupils to remember more over time, especially in those subjects which are well designed.

Leaders have ensured that children in the early years, and pupils in key stages 1 and 2, value reading.

Children in the Reception Year, and pupils in key stage 1, benefit from a well-delivered phonics programme and early reading curriculum. Children in the Reception Year quickly learn the sounds that letters represent. Leaders and staff successfully identify pupils who need extra help with reading.

Skilled staff support these pupils well. This helps pupils to keep up and catch up with their peers. As a result, most pupils become fluent readers by the end of key stage 1.

Leaders have effective systems in place to identify and assess the needs of pupils with SEND. However, leaders have not ensured that some pupils with SEND get the exact support that they need. While most staff adapt the delivery of the curriculum well for pupils with SEND, a few other staff are less well trained.

Pupils, including children in the early years, behave well. Their positive behaviour shows that they understand the importance of respecting one another, including adults. Children in the early years quickly learn the school rules and routines.

For example, they readily follow the instructions of staff. It is calm and orderly around school. Pupils learn without being distracted.

Pupils benefit from carefully selected opportunities to enhance their wider personal development. Leaders ensure that pupils understand healthy relationships. Pupils know the importance of speaking to trusted adults if situations make them feel uncomfortable.

They understand the importance of forging positive friendships.

Governors are ambitious for all pupils. They are well informed and know which aspects of the quality of education need to be improved for pupils.

They support and challenge leaders effectively. Leaders and governors are considerate of staff's workload and well-being when making decisions about policies and procedures.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders ensure that staff are well trained to keep pupils safe. They provide staff with regular safeguarding updates. Staff are vigilant to signs that pupils may be at risk of harm.

Leaders work well with other professionals and external organisations, when required. Leaders ensure that pupils and families get the timely extra support that they need.

Pupils recognise what is appropriate behaviour when using technology such as mobile phones and the internet.

They understand the importance of not sharing their personal information with people online or in person. Pupils know where to seek help if they need it.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Leaders' curricular thinking in a small number of subjects is underdeveloped.

This means that teachers are unsure of the important knowledge that pupils should learn and when this should be taught. This hinders some pupils' achievement. Leaders should ensure that, in all subjects, leaders identify the essential knowledge that pupils must learn and by when.

• A small number of teachers have not received sufficient training on how to adapt the delivery of the curriculum for pupils with SEND. This means that some pupils with SEND do not get the exact support that they need to achieve highly. Leaders should ensure that all teachers are well trained to ensure that pupils with SEND learn all that they should.